The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has called on the Federal Government to stop “pampering” youths and Northern leaders who ordered Igbos to leave the region in three months ass Nigeria cannot afford to experience another civil war.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Henry Iyalla, IYC described the Northern elders and youths as “ignorant” for asking Igbos to vacate the North in three months.

Iyalla urged the government to rise to the occasion.

The statement reads, “This notice to quit order made by the youth’s body and corroborated by the Elders goes to show that they are either ignorant or not conversant with the constitutional provision which guarantees the right to own properties and live anywhere within the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“You cannot forcefully ask a person to leave your territory because he chooses the part of seccession or self-determination.

“Seccession has been an age long word known by many modern democracies and does not on its own translate to a death sentence.

“We expressly state our disdain for such statement coming from the Elders as such words are not only symptoms but actually the cause of the unwarranted civil war and Nigeria cannot afford same now.

“We particularly challenge the Buhari led Federal Government on strong and purposeful leadership aimed at arresting the situation at its preliminary stage and not the kind of way they have handled this critical national issue.

“We at Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) urges the Federal Government to look at the issue of restructuring this country so component states can manage and control the ownership of her resources which is in tandem with the concept of true federalism.

“This will be a step in the right direction on the part of the Federal Government especially now that Nigeria is in urgent need of a way forward.”